What regions does Buryatia border on in the west (east, north, south)?

What can you say about the relief of the republic? Are flora and fauna of the republic various?

They say, the taiga is rich in fur-bearing animals, isn 't it?

What are the most important rivers in Buryatia?

Does the Selenga flow into the Baikal?

What would you like to see in Buryatia?

Exercise 2. Read the text and make up the plan.

The Buryat Republic was founded on the 30-th of May 1923. It occupies a great territory of Eastern Siberia to the east of Lake Baikal. The total area is about 351 300 square kilometers with the population of about one million people. The north- western borderline runs along the shore of Lake Baikal. It also borders on the Tuva Republic and the Mongolian Republic. The Republic is mostly mountainous but there is hardly a place in Russia where such a variety of scenery can be found. There are mountains and boundless steppes, thick forests and quiet lakes, mountainous rivers and, of course, world famous Lake Baikal. A.P. Chekhov visited Buryatia on his way to Sakhalin. He was greatly impressed by the nature of Zabaikalye. In one of his letters he wrote "In Zabaikalye I saw the Caucasus, Switzerland, the valley of the river Don". There are the Barguzin and the Hamar-Daban mountain ranges. But the most famous are the Sayans with its highest peak Munku-Sardyk (3491 metres). The Buryat taiga is rich in fur - breading animals: bear, wolf, fox, squirrel, mink etc. Nature has smiled upon Buryatia, as it has a rich abundance of animal life, having such species like Barguzin sable and Baikal omul. The Barguzin national park was established in 1913. The rivers of Buryatia are of no great value as waterways. The longest of them are the Selenga, the Uda, the Barguzin and others. All of them flow into the Baikal and only the Selenga which is a major tributary of Lake Baikal is a navigable in summer and early autumn. The great part of the year the rivers are frozen. There is also a great number of small mountainous rivulets running into the Baikal with extremely pure water. The most important mineral resources are ore, coal, asbestos, gold and graphite. The climate is dry, winters are cold and the summers are hot. There are more than 300 sunny days in Buryatia. That’s why Buryatia is often called Sunny Buryatia.

Exercise 3. Discuss the answers to these questions with your classmates:

Do you think the geographical position of the republic is good? Why?

What can you say about the natural riches of the republic?

What is Buryatia famous for?

Exercice 4. Crossword puzzle

Across

The word we use for cedar, pine and fir trees.

All the animals of an area.

A thick coniferous forest in Siberia.

An evergreen tree.

A precious yellow metal.

L and between hills or mountains often with a river flowing through it.

Down

The mineral Gusinoozersk is rich in.

A type of climate.

All the plants of an area.

A fur - bearing animal that can be found in Buryatia.

A synonym of territory.

Part 2. The symbols of Buryatia.

What can you see in the picture?

What does it mean?

Where have you met this symbol?

Exercise 5. Read the text:

The state insignia of the Republic of Buryatia shows three circles in the same colours as the three stripes of the flag of the republic. The circle means a horseshoe, the globe and the sun. a horseshoe means happiness. The sun means the idea of progress and life… in the centre of the circle you can see a picture, which represents spiritual and geographical symbols of Buryatia. Against the background of the blue white waves of Baikal and three mountains there are the golden signs of the Moon, the Sun and a home hearth looking like three tongues of life. Soyombo (a Buddhist sign symbolizing three colours of a rainbow) expresses a high level of the spirit of the people of Buryatia. The pictures of the Moon and the Sun and the Fire are typical for the central Asian region. At the bottom of the insignia there is a blue ribbon. It is called Khadak, a symbol of hospitality. There are three stripes in the flag of the Republic: blue, white and yellow, which symbolize the sky, clearness and eternity. Blue means the colour of the crystal pure Baikal water and the colour of high peaceful heaven. White is the colour of stability, unity and chastity of the people. Yellow symbolizes the Buddhist belief, which means spiritual beginnings, hope and beliefs, mercy and compassion.

Exercise 6. Comprehension test

Looking for main ideas

Circle the letter of the best answer.

The state insignia of the Republic of Buryatia shows…

a)three circles;

b)three mountains.

2. In the centre of the circle you can see a picture, which represents..

a) historical and cultural symbols of Buryatia;

b) spiritual and geographical symbols of Buryatia.

3. The pictures of the Moon, the Sun and the Fire are typical of…

a) China;

b) the central Asian region.

Exercise 7. Discussion

Discuss the answers to these questions with your classmates.

What is the state insignia?

How do you explain the word soyombo?

What does the state flag mean for a citizen?

LEGENDARY LAKE

Exercise 8. Read the text

One of the first to mention the Baikal was Marco Polo. The first of the Russians to cross it was the cossack Kurbut Ivanov. Some 300 years have passed since then and all these years the people have not only admired the gentle beauty of the Baikal, they have done their best to understand its mysteries. But even today one cannot say, that we know all the secrets of this unique sheet of water. The Baikal is 25 million years old. And it still remains a young lake. It is 1634 meters deep. The Baikal is 636 km long, from 25 km to 79 km wide. Many seas are even considerably shallower. The lake consists 20 % of the world's fresh water supply.

To Siberians it is a glorious sea. The water of the Baikal is amazingly clear, its transparency is 100 times greater tnan that of many other lakes, in fact it is legendary. There one finds the Baikal seal, golomyanka and of course omul. The delicate fish has always been a favourite with Siberians. Even the thought of omul salted or smoked or baked is mouthwatering. Many books have been written about the fauna of the Baikal. No wonder, there are 18900 different kinds of living creatures, big and small.

In the taiga around the Baikal you can see bear and deer, but the pride of the forest is the Barguzin sable, the only place in the whole world where it is found. This is a story about the Baikal, the blue heart of Siberia.

Some years ago scientists raised the alarming question was the Baikal, whose water is the purest in the world, becoming polluted? A special government commission has been set up to work out new, optimal and efficient measures for the protection of the lake. Lake Baikal and its shores have been declared as a specially protected zone of the country. Strict control is exercised over any economic activity around the lake. Now two scientific research ships explore the flora and the fauna of the lake.

Exercise 9. Now after you have read the text say new information you've learned.

How old is Lake Baikal?

Why do Siberians call the Baikal a sea?

Do you like omul?

Why is the Barguzin sable so famous all over the world?

Have you been to the Baikal?

What impressed you most of all?

What makes the Baikal unique ?

Exercise 10. Read the song and learn it by heart:

BROTHER-LAKES

Though we're from different lands.But one the same goal unites us.On the shores of the lakes we liveBrother - lakes the name to them we give.Our lakes are far away from each other,But our hearts are close to one another,While hiking over the ancient cliffsBaikal makes us great and close friends.Refrain: Oh, we must keep the lakes aliveOh, we must keep the lakes to thriveIt's our sacred duty.To keep for generations their beauty.

We shall sail on Baikal watersWe shall sing a song of loveAnd the lake Baikal will surely humAnd nurse us as if in the cradle.The only and cherished dreamWill help us keep Baikal cleanProtect the woods, the brooks, the flowersAnd save the world itself at last.

There always be the waters cleanThere always be the shores in bloomThere will be no smoke in the skyAnd the lake Baikal will never die.Only a year will quickly flyAnd near the Superior lake friends will meet againWe shall say our grandeur "Hi!"To the friends, the lake and the sky.

The conclusion of the lesson.

Teacher: Dear students! Thank you for your good work. You have good and excellent marks.